Pocket \Pock"et\ (p[o^]k"[e^]t), n. [OE. poket, Prov. F. & OF.
poquette, F. pochette, dim. fr. poque, pouque, F. poche;
probably of Teutonic origin. See Poke a pocket, and cf.
Poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and Pouch.]
1. A bag or pouch; especially; a small bag inserted in a
garment for carrying small articles, particularly money;
hence, figuratively, money; wealth.
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2. One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into
which the balls are driven.
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3. A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as
ginger, hops, cowries, etc.
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Note: In the wool or hop trade, the pocket contains half a
sack, or about 168 Ibs.; but it is a variable quantity,
the articles being sold by actual weight.
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4. (Arch.) A hole or space covered by a movable piece of
board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like.
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5. (Mining.)
(a) A cavity in a rock containing a nugget of gold, or
other mineral; a small body of ore contained in such a
cavity.
(b) A hole containing water.
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6. (Nat.) A strip of canvas, sewn upon a sail so that a
batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace.
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7. (Zool.) Same as Pouch.
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8. Any hollow place suggestive of a pocket in form or use;
specif.:
(a) A bin for storing coal, grain, etc.
(b) A socket for receiving the foot of a post, stake, etc.
(c) A bight on a lee shore.
(d) a small cavity in the body, especially one abnormally
filled with a fluid; as, a pocket of pus.
(e) (Dentistry) a small space between a tooth and the
adjoining gum, formed by an abnormal separation of the
gum from the tooth.
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9. An isolated group or area which has properties in contrast
to the surrounding area; as, a pocket of poverty in an
affluent region; pockets of resistance in a conquered
territory; a pocket of unemployment in a booming ecomony.
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10. (Football) The area from which a quarterback throws a
pass, behind the line of scrimmage, delineated by the
defensive players of his own team who protect him from
attacking opponents; as, he had ample time in the pocket
to choose an open receiver.
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11. (Baseball) The part of a baseball glove covering the palm
of the wearer's hand.
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12. (Bowling) the space between the head pin and one of the
pins in the second row, considered as the optimal point
at which to aim the bowling ball in order to get a
strike.
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Note: Pocket is often used adjectively in the sense of small,
or in the formation of compound words usually of
obvious signification; as, pocket knife, pocket comb,
pocket compass, pocket edition, pocket handkerchief,
pocket money, pocket picking, or pocket-picking, etc.
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deep pocket or
deep pockets, wealth or substantial financial assets.
Note: Used esp. in legal actions, where plaintiffs desire to
find a defendant with "deep pockets", so as to be able
to actually obtain the sum of damages which may be
judged due to him. This contrasts with a
"judgment-proof" defendant, one who has neither assets
nor insurance, and against whom a judgment for monetary
damages would be uncollectable and worthless.
Out of pocket. See under Out, prep.
Pocket borough, a borough "owned" by some person. See under
Borough. [Eng.]
Pocket gopher (Zool.), any one of several species of
American rodents of the genera Geomys, and Thomomys,
family Geomyd[ae]. They have large external cheek
pouches, and are fossorial in their habits. they inhabit
North America, from the Mississippi Valley west to the
Pacific. Called also pouched gopher.
Pocket mouse (Zool.), any species of American mice of the
family Saccomyid[ae]. They have external cheek pouches.
Some of them are adapted for leaping (genus Dipadomys),
and are called kangaroo mice. They are native of the
Southwestern United States, Mexico, etc.
Pocket piece, a piece of money kept in the pocket and not
spent.
Pocket pistol, a pistol to be carried in the pocket.
Pocket sheriff (Eng. Law), a sheriff appointed by the sole
authority of the crown, without a nomination by the judges
in the exchequer. --Burrill.
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